Turned Around

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. (Matthew 21:28-32 NIV)

I wonder what was going through Matthew’s mind as he wrote these words.  The Pharisees and Sadducees weren’t the only ones who had trouble accepting Jesus’ words.  They weren’t the only ones who had trouble following him, either.  Some people accepted Jesus wholeheartedly, while others did not.

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." (Matthew 26:6-9 NIV)

Matthew said that “the disciples” had trouble with this woman’s extravagant act of love.  Perhaps his account reads this way because Matthew, with his money-struggles, knew that he thought the same thing.  He wasn’t the one who spoke that day, though.  Another one of the twelve spoke up.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. (John 12:4-6 NIV)

Matthew knew that he agreed with Judas Iscariot – at least when Judas spoke out loud.  As a tax-collector, Matthew would have been considered a thief, too.  But they were not the same.

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Matthew 26:10-13 NIV)

The difference between Matthew and Judas is simple: their response.  Matthew heard what Jesus said and changed his mind.  He believed Jesus.  He trusted Jesus.  He changed his way of thinking to match Jesus.  Judas did not.

Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. (Matthew 26:14-16 NIV)

How about you?  How do you respond to Jesus?  Do you believe him?  Do you trust him?  Do you change your mind to match what he says?  Does Jesus cause you to turn around?